1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to live card games and, more particularly, to providing progressive and game jackpots for live card games.
2. Statement of the Problem
Progressive jackpot slot machines and live card games (such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Chemin de Fer, Pai Gow Poker, Draw Poker, Stud Poker, and Lo-Ball Poker) represent two types of games that are popular among gamblers throughout the world. A need exists for a progressive jackpot system for live card games that permits progressive jackpot awards while minimizing interference with the conventional play of the game. A need also exists to provide game or table jackpots either in combination with the progressive jackpot or independent thereof.
A "hand" is commonly defined as one deal of cards to the players in a live card game. A "deck" for a particular live card game has a predetermined number of cards. For example, blackjack may use several conventional card decks with each card deck having four "suits" (diamonds, hearts, clubs, and spades) containing 13 cards of different "value" (ace through king) for a predetermined number of 52 cards.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,553 entitled "Poker Game", a live card game is disclosed having a "progressive jackpot" feature. A player optionally participates in this feature by making "an additional jackpot wager" that is added to the jackpot wagers that are made by other players in that game or previous games. U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 is related to the aforesaid patent and provides structural detail incorporating the progressive jackpot element into blackjack. At the beginning of each hand, in addition to making the usual ante wager for blackjack, the player may also make an additional wager to be eligible to participate in the progressive jackpot component of the game during that hand. The '041 patent provides a separate coin acceptor at each player's playing location that receives the progressive bet. The coin acceptor sends an electronic signal to a main control board that then processes the progressive bet and increases the progressive jackpot meter by a predetermined amount. A dealer lock-out switch is provided that deactivates each coin acceptor so as to prevent late progressive wagering after the cards are dealt. The '041 patent requires a coin acceptor and coin acceptor circuitry as well as associated processor and programming.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,405 pertains to an apparatus for providing a progressive jackpot for live card games. The '405 patent allows each player to bet an additional "progressive" wager at the beginning of each hand by providing an apparatus to receive the progressive game token and to control a jackpot meter. The apparatus is built into the game table and any number of tables can be interconnected together to a single progressive jackpot meter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,077 sets forth a method for progressive live card games that also requires a game play wager and a separate progressive play wager. In the '077 patent the sequence of cards for winning the progressive jackpot is chosen so as not to interfere with the play of the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,061 pertains to a card-dispensing shoe having a device that reads cards as they are dealt in a hand from the shoe. By using specially coded cards, indicating the value, the suit, and the deck identity of each card, this device enables the operator to read the cards being dealt.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,067 sets forth a system incorporating a progressive component into a live game card table. The '067 patent sets forth the provision of a separate coin acceptor assigned to each player position on the table for determining the presence of a coin to generate a signal indicating that a jackpot side bet has been placed. The coin acceptors have a low profile above the table so as to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of coins from them. A computer is used to keep track of the separate side jackpot bets.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,339,798 sets forth a remote gaming system wherein players located at remote positions are able to play a live game such as a live card game.
Pending German patent application No. P44 39 502.7 sets forth a computerized device that reads cards as they are dealt from a shoe and also senses when a hand is receiving cards at a position on a game table. The computer tracks each hand and records the value and suit of each card in each player's hand. The computer senses when a dealer has a blackjack and immediately issues a signal. This approach electronically surveys each game and minimizes manual inspection of the game. These computers can be linked by various means to a central computer so that numerous hands played at numerous remote locations can be exactly monitored.
A common characteristic of all of the above approaches, including conventional progressive systems for live card games, is the requirement that each player make a decision at the beginning of the hand whether or not to participate in the progressive feature of the game. To accommodate the player who wishes to place a separate progressive wager, separate slots or coin acceptors are provided in the game play area to receive the player's bet and separate lock out devices may be provided to prevent other players from placing late progressive bets. Hence, at a conventional live card game having a progressive feature, some players may place separate progressive bets and some players may not. In any event, the manufacturer of the game table must provide separate progressive slots or coin acceptors for each player's position. Whether or not a player participates in the progressive feature is entirely controlled by the player, and contributions are only made to the progressive jackpot when a player makes a separate progressive bet. The contribution is, therefore, "player controlled," and if the player does not win in the progressive feature, the progressive bet is lost.
A need exists to provide a jackpot feature (whether progressive, game, or a combination of both) to a live card game that minimizes interference during conventional play of the live card game. A need exists to eliminate the requirement that a player must place the separate progressive bet in separately provided for coin acceptors or slots. A need exists to have a player place only a conventional game wager to play the conventional live card game and to also qualify for the progressive feature automatically. A further need exists to provide a new level of excitement in live card games having progressive features by having the contribution to the progressive jackpot be made when a predetermined game event occurs during the conventional play of the live card game. A final need exists for a player to play a live card game wherein the initial game wager or bet is never affected by the progressive element feature so that whether or not the original game wager is lost is dependent on the play of the conventional game and not on the progressive feature as found in prior approaches.
3. Solution to the Problem
The present invention provides a solution to the above needs by providing a live card game table system that may be connected in a multi-site environment to a central control. The system identifies each card dealt by a dealer and stores the value and suit in memory; identifies which player positions have game bets in place; determines when a card is received at a player position; and ascertains whether the player position that has received a card has placed a game bet. The shuffler and shoe of the present invention read cards leaving the shoe. The present invention records the value and suit for each card received at each player position having a game bet placed.
Unlike the common characteristic discussed above for conventional progressive systems for live card games, the present invention does not require a player to place a separate progressive bet, and therefore, all separate hardware including separate progressive slots for coin acceptors and any and all lock-out devices are completely eliminated. Unlike the "player controlled" characteristic of the prior art, the present invention includes all players in the progressive feature without the requirement that a player place a separate "progressive bet." Rather, placing the game wager bet (which value typically varies from player to player) qualifies the player to participate in the progressive feature. The contribution (based on the value of the game wager) is not "player controlled" but is "game event controlled" under the teachings of the present invention. This adds a new level of excitement in live card games since all players know that a contribution of their game wager is being made to the progressive jackpot.
For example, in the game of blackjack, the game event could be when the dealer goes "bust" (i.e., his cards total over 21). When that game event occurs, a percentage contribution of the value of each player's game bet is made to the progressive jackpot. Another example would be to take a percentage of a specific portion of a bet as a contribution to the progressive jackpot. Thus, the operator of the game might establish that 50% of the sixth dollar wagered by a player would be contributed to the progressive jackpot. The operator could also specify that players wagering under $6 on any given hand could not qualify to win the progressive jackpot. Players wagering $6 and over would all contribute 50.cent. to the jackpot regardless of the total amount wagered. Under the teaching of the present invention, the contribution is transparent to the players since it is not based on a separate progressive bet made by the player and the player does not jeopardize any portion of his or her game wager while playing the live card game. Hence, the player under the teachings of the present invention automatically participates in the progressive wager without the requirement of betting a separate wager. The player plays a conventional live card game with the progressive feature substantially transparent to the play of the game so as to minimize any interference with the play of the game. All separate coin slots or coin acceptors are eliminated for this progressive feature.
Furthermore, the game wager made by the player is conventionally played, but has the added benefit of qualifying the player for a progressive win when the player receives a winning combination of cards in a conventional fashion. Under the teachings of the present invention, all players who place a game wager automatically participate in the progressive feature. The contribution to the progressive jackpot is "game event controlled" and is not under the control of a separate progressive wager made by specific players.
Finally, the detection of winning sequences of cards could result in a progressive jackpot award, a game jackpot award, or a combination of both types of awards.